Is Tom Nettles Leaving Southern?

Dr. Tom Nettles, Professor of Historical Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky will visit Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral on May 4-6 in view of a call to become the Associate Pastor. While this news may come as a shock to many people, those who know Tom well will not be surprised. He represents what is best in our seminaries and has consistently carried out his classroom responsibilities with a sense that he is a servant of the local church.

Thomas Nettles – Professor of Historical Theology

Education:

B.A., Mississippi College

M.Div., Ph.D., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Bio: Dr. Nettles is widely regarded as one of the foremost Baptist historians in America. He came to Southern Seminary from the faculty of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he was Professor of Church History and Chair of the Department of Church History. He previously taught at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. Along with numerous journal articles and scholarly papers, Dr. Nettles is the author or editor of nine books. Among his books are By His Grace and For His Glory and Baptists and the Bible, the highly influential volume which he co-authored with Dr. Russ Bush; and Why I Am a Baptist, co-edited with Russell D. Moore.

12 Responses to Is Tom Nettles Leaving Southern?

Good for him. But as I read it I felt like I just got a sick feeling in my stomach. Just Friday I chose to go to Southern for Ph.D. rather than Trinity. My mentor will be Dr. Wills, but a big part of the decision was the excellent Baptist scholarship, and engaging personality of Dr. Nettles. There is no replacing Dr. Nettles. There is nobody out there even close to his level when it comes to Baptist scholarship. Wow. Good for that church, and a bummer for Southern (and for me).

i posted this over at ascol’s blog, put ill cut and paste it here…i have had the privilege the last three years of being a member of the same local church as dr. nettles. i have had three of his classes as well. while he is well known for his teaching in the classroom, i have benefited greatly from the times that he took to meet and speak with me when i had questions or concerns about various things. he and mrs. margaret are both very gracious and humble people. dr. nettles has been a living demonstration to me in what it is to have much knowledge without being pompous or arrogant, and to humbly teach without belittling or making your listeners feel inferior.

if he and mrs. margret do leave, they will be greatly missed by many, but no doubt greatly appreciated by many more at their new church home.

I’ve never had the guy’s classes, and I felt just as sick as Mark above. I’m sad that he may be leaving, but I’m glad that God is potentially pouring out blessings on him. This recent potential call is just more proof that when our profs say they have a heart for the local church, they aren’t just singin’ and dancin’.

As it were, I immediately decided to spoil myself today upon reading this news and went directly to the campus bookstore and purchased By His Grace and For His Glory.

Dr. Nettles reminds you of the professors you read about from years past. When I’ve walked past him in the hall, he’s been kind, but he also carries himself with a strength and a dignity that is strange in our day. Dr. Nettles is the classic scholar–you like him, you respect him, and you fear him. There are few left who are like him.

I was sad to learn it, and I harangued him about it after class yesterday. I told him Ascol should be serving as HIS assistant. Dr. Nettles is the perfect combination of someone who is not only a Southerner unquestionably committed to the SBC, but also a solid academic with unimpeachable credentials. There are too few men like this in the world, let alone at Southern. He was the kind of man that made you want to call him “sir” without being aloof or unapproachable.